Wrestling Preview: Estancia coming together

Steve Virgen

Steve Perez, the first-year coach of Estancia High wrestling, will

go to great lengths to create team unity. For instance, instead of a

routine practice at Estancia, he took his wrestlers to the beach to train

on the sand.

He said the scenery, and just getting outside, somehow brought the

Eagles closer to each other. With an opportunity to actually overcome

University as the Pacific Coast League favorite, Estancia will look to

its unity as the difference.

Last season, the Eagles fell just one point short of University and

the Trojans were crowned PCL champions, so Estancia is confident of its

chances this season.

“I was looking forward to beating them this year,” Perez said

hesitantly. “They have so many more kids than us. On a good day, I have

25-28 kids.”

Perez said he has some hope because of seniors Jeremy Valdes (152

pounds), Felipe Tapia (140), and Nathan Thaler (215). He says they are

his three top wrestlers.

“Nathan has a chance to place in state this year,” Perez said of

Thaler who earned first place at the Dec. 9 Irvine Tournament. “He’s

turning out to be my best wrestler.”

Valdes earned third place at the Irvine tourney. And Tapia is nursing

a shoulder injury, but should return within two weeks.

The senior trio strengthened its chances by working hard in the

offseason. While Valdes trained on his own, Tapia went to a wrestling

camp with Perez and other Estancia wrestlers, including sophomore Victor

Carmona, a 119-pound PCL champion last year, and senior Miguel Merida.

Perez took them to Lake Tahoe for the Vaughn Hitchcock Wrestling Camp.

Meanwhile, Thaler went to a different wrestling camp, one Perez

described as “as hard-core as you can get.” The 14-day camp included

marks or rewards for individuals. Thaler, last year’s PCL champion,

earned so many awards, he returned home as the No. 2 wrestler of the

camp.

Perez hopes Estancia’s busy offseason will benefit this season. The

Eagles are still improving, but should peak just in time for their own

tournament Jan. 5-6. The Estancia Tournament already has 32 teams

committed to attend and more may join in the weeks to come.

Though Perez is without a 170-pound wrestler, he is pleased with his

team. Nelson Morales returns and is eager to claim a PCL title. Last

year, he was runner-up at 189 pounds.

Also, sophomore Luis Valdes (152), brother of Jeremy, returns with

more strength this season. Junior Mitch Valdes, also Jeremy’s brother,

decided to play basketball this

season. Last year, Mitch wrestled his way to a PCL title in the

103-pound weight class.

The Eagles will face host El Dorado Saturday.

ESTANCIA WRESTLING

103 Luis Valdes So.

112 Peter Deip So.

119 Victor Carmona So.

125 Miguel Merida Sr.

130 Luis Pena Sr.

135 Eric Amamane Jr.

140 Felipe Tapia Sr.

145 Jose Galcia Jr.

152 Jeremy Valdes Sr.

160 Angel Hilario So.

189 Nelson Morales Jr.

215 Nathan Thaler Sr.